'Thousand Pines' is about three families in the aftermath of a school shooting, trying to recover from the unthinkable. This all-too-timely story, directed by Austin Pendleton, is ultimately about grief, recovery, and healing.

Director Mark Lamos is to be congratulated on imbuing this show with new life and purpose in these trying times. The final moments of this 'Man of La Mancha' present a stark tableau of some of the challenges facing us, including the red-hooded specter of intolerance, images of the falsely imprisoned, and the continued abuse and subjugation of women.

What does it take to create a brand-new theater company? For Fairfield Center Stage, the new nonprofit theater company in Fairfield, Connecticut, it takes resilience, creative thinking, a strong sense of community, and a little bit of luck.